Uses of le
The Chinese particle 了 has been traditionally divided into two broad categories: aspectual particle 了 (AKA 了1) and modal particle 了 (AKA 了2). However, for a word with as many varied grammatical uses, such broad classifications don't seem particularly helpful to learners. This article offers an alternative way to understand 了: by listing out specific uses and patterns.
Contents
Beginner (A1) Uses of 了
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | 了 Type | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expressing "Excessively" | 太 + Adj + 了 | 了2 | 太 好 了 ! |
Elementary (A2) Uses of 了
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | 了 Type | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expressing Completion with "le" | V + 了 | 了1 | 她 去 了 北京。 |
| Questions with "le ma" | ……了 + 吗？ | 了1 | 北京 去 了 吗？ |
| Expressing Duration | [Verb Phrase] + [Duration] (+ 了) | 了2 | 他 在 北京 住 了 两 年。 |
| Expressing Duration of Inaction | [Duration] + 没 + [Verb Phrase] ) (+ 了) | 了2 | 他 已经 三 天 没 洗澡 了。 |
Intermediate (B1) Uses of 了
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | 了 Type | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expressing Completion with "le" | V + 了 | 了1 | 她 去 了 北京。 |
Upper Intermediate (B2) Uses of 了
| Grammar Point (English) | Pattern | 了 Type | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expressing Completion with "le" | V + 了 | 了1 | 她 去 了 北京。 |
